Starches that have been modified with octenylsuccinic anhydride and then treated with aluminum sulfate are known in the literature as flow aids and for aesthetic improvements to personal care formulations. One such example has been sold under the tradename of DRY-FLO® by National Starch and Chemical Co (Bridgewater, N.J.).
A similar chemistry has been used to prepare a calcium based starch derivative using dodecenyl succinic anhydride as an alternative to the octenyl derivative, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,476.
However, there continues to be a need for an alternative to organically modified starches which can be expensive to prepare and require the addition of inorganic salts to functionalize the reagents.